The foundation of successful leadership remains the same whether your teams are remote or in the office, but building and maintaining a culture of accountability can be an added challenge. Because you are using technology to communicate, collaborate, share information and coordinate efforts, it is even more important to clearly establish expectations as well as your understanding of each individual’s unique capabilities. Lead by example and focus on noticeable, measurable results so that you and your team will achieve your goals.

Just because you earned the title, doesn’t mean that employees will respect you, follow you, and perform. Whether your job title is manager, CEO, VP, or assistant, earning the respect and trust of your employees is how you will create an environment where everyone can thrive, grow, and succeed. In order to earn trust, you must give it. A leadership style built on trust enables you to sustainably achieve your business goals. When your workforce feels empowered, they believe in themselves and the role they play in the success of your company.

Employee engagement does not start with the employee. In fact, just the opposite is true. Employee engagement starts with leadership. How members of leadership interact with one another and how you communicate with your employees is how your employees interact with their peers and colleagues. Engagement begins when a working environment is created that helps employees feel invested in their role in the company and inspires them to work with the best interests of the company in mind. True employee engagement begins when leaders recognize their role as a motivator. A culture of employee engagement benefits from higher productivity with the best people in the right roles.

Organizational culture has become a critical factor building and remaining a successful company. Treating your employees well isn’t one dimensional. “Perks” can be mistaken for a strong culture, but understanding what culture means is fundamental to finding and retaining skilled workers with a strong work ethic. Learn what the five steps are to building a successful company culture, and analyze the role culture plays on employee engagement. Understand how to appropriately reward positive behavior because it is more than just perks.